The 3 - August 25, 2024

All three stories in this week's edition of The 3, are centered around the issue of the sanctity of life.  One story has to do with two state Supreme Courts that have taken action in cases surrounding amendments scheduled to be on their respective ballots in November that would expand abortion.  Also, a British woman who was arrested twice for praying - silently - in the vicinity of an abortion clinic has received a financial settlement.  And, seven pro-life protestors were found guilty in court recently in Michigan and face stiff penalties.

One state Supreme Court keeps abortion amendment off the ballot, one allows impact statement

One of the disturbing trends affecting the pro-life movement is the series of attempts by pro-abortion individuals and organizations to place initiatives on state ballots that would expand the availability of abortion in those states. So far, these type of amendments, such as the one passed last year by Ohio voters, have been approved.

A number of states will be confronted with these types of amendments on the November ballot, and there's significant action in two of them.

In Arkansas last week, the state Supreme Court said that the proposed abortion amendment could not go on the ballot. The Christian Post reported:

In a decision released Thursday, the court ruled 4-3 against a petition by Arkansans for Limited Government for a referendum on the November ballot. The issue is whether the organization has collected enough signatures from certified canvassers.

Justice Rhonda Wood authored the majority opinion, concluding that "the petitioners failed to comply with the statutory filing requirements for paid canvassers."

The day before that, the Florida Supreme Court, in a 6-1 decision, allowed a 150-word statement to be posted on the ballots in the state. Liberty Counsel reported on its website: "The Florida Supreme Court voted 6-1 to allow the revised financial impact statement for Florida’s Amendment 4, which proposes to codify unrestricted abortion in the state’s constitution, to be on the November ballot." The website states:

The ballot will now contain a brief, 150-word allotted warning about how it will likely cost the state a significant amount of taxpayer dollars. The warning states the amendment may require the state to use taxpayer dollars to fund abortions, invalidate parental consent laws, and negatively affect the growth of the Florida budget over time due to less people being born and due to litigation to resolve legal uncertainties.

British woman arrested twice for praying in front of abortion clinic receives financial settlement

Perhaps you've heard the name Isabel Vaughan-Spruce.  She is a lady from the U.K. who was arrested not once, but twice, for praying in the area of an abortion clinic.  Alliance Defending Freedom International announced last week that Ms. Vaughan-Spruce has received a financial reward after being acquitted last year.  The website stated:

In a victory against UK censorship, Isabel Vaughan-Spruce – the Christian charitable volunteer who was seen being arrested twice for praying silently in viral videos – has received a payout of £13,000 from West Midlands Police in acknowledgement of her unjust treatment, and the breach of her human rights.

The article notes that Isabel was first arrested in 2022 "for silently praying in a censored 'buffer zone...," in the vicinity of an abortion clinic. It goes on to say:

In what is widely thought to be the first “thoughtcrime” case prosecuted in 21st Century Britain, Vaughan-Spruce was searched by police (including through her hair); arrested, criminally charged and tried – even though she had prayed imperceptibly and not expressed any opinion outside of her own mind.

In February 2023, Vaughan-Spruce, was fully acquitted of all charges at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court after the prosecution were unable to offer evidence to support the charge. ADF UK supported her legal defence.

Yet only a matter of weeks later, Vaughan-Spruce was arrested for the same activity yet again – silently thinking prayerful thoughts on a public street within the censored “buffer zone”...

The article notes that, "With support from ADF UK, Vaughan-Spruce issued a claim against West Midlands Police for two wrongful arrests and false imprisonments; assault and battery in relation to an intrusive search of her person; and for a breach of her human rights both in respect to the arrests, and to the onerous bail conditions imposed on her."

ADF International also says, "The news comes days after reports that the Home Office will strengthen the crackdown on silent prayer near abortion facilities by expressly criminalising it in upcoming 'buffer zones' legislation, set to come into force imminently."

Seven pro-life activists found guilty in Michigan case  

Federal officials have been criticized for seemingly turning a blind eye toward those who vandalize pregnancy centers and churches, while raiding a pro-life man's home to arrest him in the early morning hours after an altercation in front of an abortion clinic, in a case that local authorities chose not to pursue.  That man, Mark Houck, was acquitted.

But, that was not the case for seven pro-life protestors in Michigan who staged a protest back in 2020.  Live Action News reported last week:

Seven pro-life activists were found guilty on Tuesday in federal court of conspiracy against rights and violations against the Freedom of Access to Clinics (FACE) Act. One of the activists is an 89-year-old concentration camp survivor.

The article said that, "were found guilty on all charges related to an August 2020 rescue at Northland Family Planning Clinic, an abortion facility in Sterling Heights, Michigan." It added:

Leif Le Mahieu for The Daily Wire noted that the trial, which began on August 6, was “packed with tension and drama.”

“The seven were prosecuted by the Biden administration, which has been using the conspiracy against rights charge, originally designed for the Ku Klux Klan, to go after pro-life activists. They face over 10 years in prison and hundreds of thousands in fines upon sentencing,” reported The Daily Wire.

The Director of Pro-Life Michigan, Lynn Mills, was quoted in the article. She was "present during the seven days of active arguments," according to the article, and "said that during closing arguments, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sunita Doddamani called the pro-life rescue 'the crime of the century.'” Live Action went on to say:

In addition, Mills said the prosecution told the court, “Burning a cross is protected speech, as reprehensible as that is. But once you break FACE, you lose your First Amendment right to free speech.”

“This conspiracy theory is so over the top,” said Mills. “It’s just extremely frightening what is happening in our country.”

The 3 - August 18, 2024

This week's edition of The 3, featuring three stories of relevance to the Christian community, features a significant ruling late last Friday from the U.S. Supreme Court, blocking changes in Title IX from going into effect.  Also, hundreds of church leaders are speaking out against Christian persecution in the nation of India. Plus, closer to home, there has been another development in what has become a narrative surrounding Christian persecution in Nicaragua. 

High court prevents Title IX rewrite from taking effect

Ever since the Administration announced its new rules for Title IX, extending anti-discrimination protections, originally intended to protect women, to also include so-called "gender identity," challenges have been filed in court.  Among other things, this would allow biological males to play in women's sports. 

As Lathan Watts of Alliance Defending Freedom had reported on the Friday Meeting House program on Faith Radio, that Christian legal organization had successfully argued for five temporary injunctions to be put in place to prevent these policies from taking effect while the litigation continues. 

Late Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld temporary injunctions out of two federal appeals courts against the new Title IX rules.  The Daily Signal reported:

Tennessee and Louisiana are leading two lawsuits against the Education Department and its Biden-appointed secretary, Miguel Cardona, seeking injunctions to block the application of the law. The U.S. Courts of Appeals for the 5th and 6th Circuits granted preliminary injunctions, blocking the new rules from going into effect.

Cardona appealed to the Supreme Court, and the high court denied the emergency appeal Friday.

This prevents the new rules from taking effect in 10 states. The article notes:

Tennessee, Louisiana, and others who joined the lawsuits argued that the administration’s Title IX rules unlawfully redefine sex discrimination and violate students’ and employees’ rights to bodily privacy and safety. They argued that a definition of harassment based on the creation of a “hostile environment” violates the First Amendment by requiring students and teachers to use preferred pronouns.

Persecution of Christians in India draws response from hundreds of church leaders

Sectarian violence in India, including against Christians, has been widely reported, and a consortium of church leaders have decided to speak out against it.  The Stream reported:

Over 300 Christian leaders in the U.S. have petitioned the State Department to designate India as a “country of particular concern” (CPC) following an unprecedented escalation of state-sanctioned violence against Christians there.

The article noted that the letter was directed to Secretary of State Blinken and "signed by three archbishops, 18 bishops, 166 clergy from diverse denominations, eight current or former presidents, deans from five theological schools, and leaders from over 40 Christian organizations."

The article goes on to say:

“This surge in violence is propelled by a Hindu ethno-nationalist or Hindutva supremacist political ideology, which conflates a militant Hindu ideology with Indian citizen identities,” the letter explains, leading to a distortion of both Hinduism and India’s constitutional democracy accompanied by “alarming levels of violence” against Christians, lower-caste Dalits, and other religious minorities.

Rev. Neal Christie, executive director of the Federation of Indian-American Christian Organizations in North America (FIACONA), is quoted as saying, “This is the first public letter of its kind penned by U.S. Christian leaders addressing persecution in India..." The article says, "'As Christians do not practice caste and practice a minority religion, they are considered a national threat,' the signatories write, expressing solidarity with a petition more than 3,000 Indian Christian leaders signed in January. Those leaders boycotted a Christmas lunch hosted by India’s Hindu supremacist Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year."

Religious persecution in Nicaragua faces growing concern

Earlier this year, I became aware of what appeared to be a series of impactful evangelistic events in the nation of Nicaragua, conducted by a ministry called Mountain Gateway.  Its website, in a report filed in January, stated:

In 2023, Mountain Gateway held eight mass evangelistic gospel campaigns in the country, with the support and assistance of the Nicaraguan government. Mountain Gateway fiscally operated under strict accounting from Mountain Gateway staff and budget reviews by the Nicaraguan government to account for every dollar associated with the events. No members of Mountain Gateway have personally profited from funds sent to Nicaragua for ministry functions.

Nicaragua has revoked the registration of hundreds of non-profit and faith-based organizations in the last five years, including most recently, expelling numerous members of the Catholic Church and seizing church property. In these cases, the government often includes the charge of money laundering or other financial charges as the reason for revocation.

Three U.S. citizens in leadership of the ministry, as well as 11 Nicaraguan pastors, were charged with "money laundering and organized crime."  In March of this year, according to Mountain Gateway's website:

The Nicaraguan courts found 11 Nicaraguan Mountain Gateway pastors guilty on charges of money laundering. The pastors were not allowed to be physically present during the proceedings; they were only allowed to attend over a video livestream. At the time of the sentencing, all 11 pastors received sentences ranging between 12 and 15 years. In addition, the pastors were each fined over 80 million USD. Between the 11 pastors, they were fined almost 1 billion USD.

1819 News reported that Mountain Gateway was founded by Britt Hancock, who is from Alabama. In June, according to the website, Senator Katie Britt took to the U.S. Senate floor calling for action from the Administration; the article says:

"Let's be very clear. These Christians are imprisoned today because of their faith," Britt continued. "Their very freedom has been taken away because they chose to preach the gospel and the regime doesn't seem to want to stop there."

Britt reminded Senators the Nicaraguan government has also threatened Hancock and his family with arrest if they return to the country. Britt said Biden must utilize all sanction powers.

"Any options that are in the toolbox should be used to force Nicaragua to remedy the situation," Britt continued. "Today, I want to emphasize that we cannot and we will not stop speaking up against this religious persecution in Nicaragua."

"We are calling on the Biden administration to do more now," she added. "This regime must stop targeting American citizens, and it needs to begin faithfully upholding religious freedom and compliance with international law and universal standards of human rights."

Recently, Crosswalk Headlines reported that:

Nicaragua recently detained around a dozen priests as part of a “renewed crackdown” on the Catholic Church. As reported by The Christian Post, the majority of leaders detained were in the diocese led by exiled bishop Ronaldo Alvarez, a strong critic of President Daniel Ortega’s government who was sentenced to 26 years in prison last year for “undermining national integrity.”

The article states that Christian Solidarity Worldwide, described as a "United Kingdom-based Christian persecution watchdog," "is calling for the release of religious leaders detained by the authorities in Nicaragua." It quotes from CSW Founding President Mervyn Thomas, who said, “The continued detention and arrests of religious leaders by the Nicaraguan government are both unwarranted and unconscionable..."

The 3 - August 11, 2024

This week's edition of The 3, featuring three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes the story of a homeschool family with a strong online presence that was harassed and threatened by officials without cause after being harassed by an online group.  Also, Rwandan officials have closed well over five thousand churches for violating regulations.  And, in India over two dozen Christians were arrested after local Hindu activists invaded a meeting and claimed the Christians were trying to convert them.

Homeschool family harassed by officials claiming abuse

J.D. and Britney Lott are homeschool parents, and their family travels the country and posts content on their Instagram page, “AmericanFamilyRoadTrip.”

According to AmericanFaith.com, their fame has its price. Their children were very close to being taken out of their home due to an anti-Christian group's efforts to manipulate human resources officials. Their Instagram page shows that the couple has seven children, with an eighth on the way.

The article says:

The Lotts told Reason they were leaving a Florida campground on their way to Georgia when they received a text message from the DCF reading, “Please respond we need to follow up and verify the children are safe. If we cannot complete this we will have to see an Order To Take Into Custody which is enforceable nationwide. Please work with us so we do not have to do that. Thank you.”

The message came in response to claims by an anti-Christian Reddit group, FundieSnarkUncensored. The group claimed the Lotts’ children were abused, with the youngest child, a baby, suffering from a “severe sunburn” and jaundice.

An employee of the Department of Children and Families had contacted the family regarding having a meeting.  The article says:

The family then contacted the Family Freedom Project (FFP), a group that aids families wrongly accused of child abuse. The organization advised the parents to have their children evaluated by a doctor to prove they were unharmed.

After the medical evaluation, the Lotts were informed their children would not be taken away.

This incident has garnered attention from the Governor's office in Florida; the article notes:

Bryan Griffin, communications director for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ (R) office, told The Daily Wire that the family’s harassment will be investigated by the state.

“Utilizing government entities to make false reports or harass others is unacceptable and will be referred to law enforcement for investigation and ultimately prosecution, Griffin said.

This was posted on the family's Instagram page:

We’re exploring options to introduce accountability for all parties involved. The threat of having our children taken from us still has reverberating effects in our lives. We, and our children, are still traumatized, but we’ve made it through this together and it’s made us stronger as a family.

We are grateful to God for protecting us throughout this situation, and connecting us with people at the Family Freedom Project who have a sincere desire to protect families. We’re excited that our situation is bringing awareness to this issue that so regularly affects innocent families, in hopes that changes can be made to add protections from the threat of false reporters.

Rwandan officials close thousands of churches after inspections

Over the past few years, authorities in the African nation of Rwanda have been attempting to, as a piece published at The Christian Post puts it, "regulate" religious organizations.  That website notes:

Rwanda has progressively been implementing a law it passed in 2018 to regulate religious organizations. Seven-hundred churches were closed then for operating illegally. The law requires religious leaders to have theological training before operating a church and mandates the RGB to inspect the physical safety of the buildings housing the churches. It also requires that the structures be sound proof as one way of limiting noise pollution.

The RGB is the Rwanda Governance Board, which has the task of enforcing these "regulations."  And, it closed down thousands last month alone. The Christian Post article, originally published at Christian Daily International, reports that the number was 5,600 churches that were shut down, out of 13,000 religious organizations that were inspected.  The article says:

RGB Chief Executive Dr. Usta Kaitesi, told Kigali-based news site IGIHE — which reported an even higher number of over 7,700 churches closed — that the board, in collaboration with local authorities, carried out the inspection over two weeks in July. She revealed that a large number of the churches affected did not have the requisite permits to operate places of worship while others could not provide the qualifications of the leaders.

The archbishop of the Anglican Church of Rwanda noted that churches were informed about the regulations, but hinted they may not have taken them seriously.  Meanwhile, another church leader, a pastor, believes that the regulations should be reviewed because they unfairly punish rural churches who may not have neighborhoods nearby that are affected by noise. 

Christians in India arrested for attempting to convert people to Christianity

Twenty-eight Christians in India were taken into custody recently and charged with "illegal conversion," according to a piece at Higher Ground Times, initially provided by Global Christian Relief. The article states:

More than two dozen Christians attending a weekly prayer meeting in India were assaulted by members of a Hindu nationalist organization accusing them of “indulging in conversions.”

The group known as Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP), or World Hindu Council, called the authorities after attacking the Christian gathering in Rajasthan state on July 5, 2024.

The article goes on to say:

A local news outlet reported that the mob inflicted grievous injuries on the attendees, including women.

“A complaint was received that people had gathered at a house…for religious conversion, following which some people have been detained for interrogation,” said Sunil Sharma, Deputy Superintendent of Police.

The police did not mention the assault on Christians, but a viral video of the attack on Twitter/X showed several Christians bleeding.

The organization United Christian Forum had described how groups of Hindu extremists invade Christian gatherings in a report from December 2023:

“In almost all incidents, vigilante mobs comprising religious extremists have been seen to either barge into a prayer gathering or round up individuals that they believe are involved in forcible religious conversions,” the report said. “With impunity, such mobs criminally threaten and/or physically assault people in prayer, before handing them over to the police on allegations of forcible conversions. Often communal sloganeering is witnessed outside police stations, where the police stand as mute spectators.

In the Rajasthan incident, it was reported that a VHP leader brought 50 people into the house where the Christians were gathered.  Another publication put the number at one hundred. 

The 3 - August 4, 2024

This week's edition of The 3, with three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes a court decision regarding so-called "gender pronouns."  Also, a new pro-life law in Iowa has taken effect. Plus, a Colorado church has received positive court action regarding its attempts to minister to the homeless.

Virginia court OK's ability of student to sue school district over gender pronouns

The Daily Signal reports that, "Fairfax County Public Schools in Northern Virginia requires all students to refer to “students who identify as gender-expansive or transgender by their chosen name and pronoun, regardless of the name and gender recorded in the student’s permanent pupil record.”

However, a student, based on her religious beliefs, does not think she should be compelled by school officials to act in this manner. The article says, "The student believes God made only two genders—male and female—and that to reject one’s biological sex is to reject the image of God within that person."  So, America First Legal has sued the school district.

A county Superior Court judge has ruled that the student, in fact, could challenge the district's policies, even though the district had contended the student did not have "standing."  A parent, Stephanie Lundquist-Arora, is quoted by The Daily Signal as saying: “I’m joining other parents across Fairfax County today as we collectively inhale the fresh scent of common sense with the court’s verdict," adding, “We knew all along that it was tyrannical and completely wrong to try to compel our children’s speech with forced pronoun usage in their public schools. It is such a relief that justice has prevailed this time to preserve our children’s constitutional rights.”

Iowa "heartbeat" law takes effect

A new law intended to reduce the number of abortion in Iowa took effect recently - last Monday, the Des Moines Register reported:

Iowa's so-called "fetal heartbeat ban" officially went into effect at 8 a.m. Monday, prohibiting most abortions once the first signs of cardiac activity can be detected through an ultrasound, typically at about six weeks. The law has narrow exceptions for cases of rape, incest, fetal abnormalities incompatible with life or if the life of the pregnant woman is in danger.

Senate President Amy Sinclair is quoted as saying, "Today, the support for protection of life becomes a reality. Lives will be saved starting today," adding, "Many Iowans have voted, volunteered and prayed to see this day finally happen."

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser stated, “We thank Gov. Kim Reynolds, Attorney General Brenna Bird and legislators for persisting in the fight for life and representing the people’s will to protect babies with a heartbeat..."

Helping the homeless requires court action in CO

While an Ohio church and its pastor continue to labor through the courts to serve the homeless in their community, despite challenges from local officials, a Colorado church is continuing to pursue litigation to protect its outreach to the homeless.

CBN.com reports:

A Colorado church is suing the town of Castle Rock to maintain its homeless ministry after local officials tried to shut it down. The church recently won a preliminary victory with a federal judge ruling the town must allow the humanitarian outreach to continue while the case proceeds in court.

It's called The Rock Church, which, according to the article, "has provided shelter to those without homes by using an R.V. and a trailer that sit behind its building."  

The article goes on to say:

Last year, the town council ordered the church to stop its activities, claiming it violates zoning regulations.

The church responded with a lawsuit citing the Bible's commands to help those in need and calling it a religious freedom issue.

U.S. District Judge Daniel Domenico, in his ruling in favor of the Church, stated, "As the Church has emphasized, and the Town has not disputed, 'the Church has never experienced any public-safety or other related issues while carrying out this ministry, even as it has temporarily house(d) numerous individuals and small families,'" Judge Domenico explained. "Instead, the Town appears concerned about the precedent that would be set, which it suggests might allow either much larger housing projects on the Church's own property or other institutions or individuals to try to use mobile homes in a similar manner."